Banks and earnings power European shares

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose in early trade on Wednesday as French lender Credit Agricole led banking stocks higher and earnings provided a boost. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.3 percent in early trade with the European banking index the top-gaining sector, up 1.2 percent. Shares in Credit Agricole jumped 3.2 percent after France's biggest retail bank beat forecasts with a smaller than expected earnings drop in the fourth quarter. Banking stocks were also helped by hawkish